History of the Catholic Church in Australia

By McKenzieB02

  • The First Fleet arrives in Australia.

    La Perouse enters Botany Bay and his chaplain, Abbe Mones, celebrates the first
    Mass within Australian territory

  • First Irish convicts transported to Botany Bay

  • Governor Phillip is petitioned by Catholic settlers in Parramatta for the appointment of a Chaplin.

  • First official public mass - held under strict government supervision

  • Australia's first official priests, Fr John Therry and Fr Philip Conolly, arrive in Sydney.

  • In answer to Archbishop Polding's plea for a community of sisters in the colony, five Sisters of Charity come to Sydney with a mission to serve the impoverished and underprivileged.

  • St Mary’s cathedral is renovated. The Archdiocese now comprises of 33 parishes, 30 churches, and 35 priests serving a population of 55,000 Catholics, the majority of whom are Irish or of Irish ancestry.

  • Mary Mackillop and Fr Julian Tenison Woods establish the sisters of St Joseph.

  • Mary Mackillop dies.

  • WW1 declared. Catholics become influential in the labour party.

  • With the increase in births following WWII, Catholic schools are under pressure and swamped by heavy demand.

  • Mass changes from Latin to English.

  • Rome declares that Australia is no longer a mission country.

  • St Mary’s Cathedral is restored.

  • Pope Francis is appointed head of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of the Vatican City State.

Looking for a timeline maker?

Create timelines for projects, roadmaps, history, lessons, legal cases, and stories with Timetoast. Timetoast is a timeline maker for work, school, research, and stories.

Try the timeline maker